Los Angeles Clippers

Donald Sterling may now be saying he disavows anything Shelly Sterling is doing to sell the Clippers ... but TMZ Sports has obtained a letter personally signed by Donald giving Shelly control ... and he sent the letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

In the letter -- obtained by TMZ Sports -- dated May 22, 2014, Sterling's lawyer writes:

"As you know, I have been a long-time attorney for Donald T. Sterling. Mr. Sterling agrees to the sale of his interest in the Los Angeles Clippers."

The letter goes on: "This letter confirms that Donald T. Sterling authorizes Rochelle Sterling to negotiate with the National Basketball Association regarding all issues in connection with a sale of the Los Angeles Clippers team, owned by LAC Basketball Club, Inc."

Below the lawyers signature is Donald Sterling's John Hancock, saying "read and approved."

So ... Sterling's lawyer may now says he's unaware of any deal his client made with Shelly, but Donald did the deed on paper and it was signed, sealed and delivered.

As for Donald, he went to Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills last night -- but when asked about the sale of the team, his lips were sealed.

Shelly Sterling will accept offers this week to buy the Los Angeles Clippers ... and a frontrunner is a group led by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story ... Shelly met with Ballmer Sunday at her Malibu home, and our sources say his group made "a very competitive offer."

Sources tell us .. Shelly and her lawyer Pierce O'Donnell have put the word out ... they'd like to make a deal THIS WEEK. We're also told NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is aware of what she's doing. O'Donnell would not comment but we're told Shelly and Silver have an open line of communication.

We're told there are several other potential buyers in which Shelly is interested, including:

-- Grant Hill Group (Hill is a former NBA star who teamed up with investment partners)
-- Magic Johnson and the Guggenheim Partners (a financial company based in Chicago)
-- Patrick Soon-Shiong (surgeon turned multi-billionaire businessman)
-- David Geffen and Larry Ellison

Our sources say Oprah Winfrey is no longer in the running.

Shelly Sterling will meet with former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Sunday afternoon ... and the subject of the meeting is selling the Clippers ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The meeting will take place at Shelly's Malibu mansion. TMZ Sports broke the story ... Donald Sterling has surrendered control of the team to Shelly.

We're told Shelly sees the handwriting on the wall -- the NBA wants the team sold -- but she wants to do it on her terms. She and her lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell, have been secretly meeting with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to see if they can reach an agreement whereby Shelly has the right to voluntarily sell the team.

Shelly is taking matters into her own hands. Ballmer -- worth an estimated $20 billion -- has indicated he wants to buy the team. We're told O'Donnell will be present at the meeting.

Donald Sterling is no longer the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Clippers ... TMZ Sports has learned he just surrendered control to his estranged wife, Shelly Sterling, and she is now secretly negotiating with the NBA to sell the team ... ON HER TERMS.

Sources close to the Clippers organization tell us ... Donald made the decision because he saw the handwriting on the wall -- as long as he remained in control, the NBA would order an involuntary sale of the team.

Our sources say Shelly and her lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell, have been secretly meeting with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBA lawyers to "resolve the dispute amicably." We're told Shelly realizes the NBA wants the team sold, but she has significantly more leverage and credibility with the league than Donald. Her end game is simple -- she won't object to the sale, but SHE wants to call the shots.

Donald Sterling has finally found a lawyer who will take his case ... and has fired off a letter to the NBA refusing to pay the $2.5 million fine and threatening to sue ... this according to a new report.

Sterling has hired prominent antitrust litigator Maxwell Blecher, reports SI.com, who has already sent the NBA a letter saying Sterling has done nothing wrong and that "no punishment is warranted."

The report says the letter goes on to say that Sterling will not pay the $2.5 million fine the league levied on him, which is already past due.

Sterling's lawyer, the report claims, says the embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner has not violated any article of the NBA constitution and argues that Sterling's "due process rights" have been violated by the NBA.

It was a little chilly at Staples Center last night ... just ask Rihanna.

While the Oklahoma City Thunder/Los Angeles Clippers game was the main attraction, the real show was going on in the stands ... where a braless RiRi strutted around throughout the game.

With her pink hair and a tight white tank top, she made the night more memorable than Blake Griffin and Chris Paul did.

Magic Johnson would NEVER, EVER steal the Clippers ... hell no ... because if he WAS gonna steal a franchise, Magic tells us he'd go after the Lakers instead!!!

Magic just called into "TMZ Live" -- and shot down Donald Sterling's allegations that Magic concocted a diabolical scheme to take over the L.A. Clippers after the racist audio surfaced.

"If I'm gonna set somebody up," Magic said ... "It won't be to buy the Clippers, that's for sure. It'll be to buy the Lakers!"

Of course, Magic says he's not a crook or a thief and would NEVER do anything underhanded like steal a team ... but IF he did, he'd aim WAY higher than the Red and Blue.

Magic Johnson did NOT call Donald Sterling to lull him into silence after TMZ Sports released the audio ... it was Donald who called Magic ... trying to use him as a prop for a Barbara Walters interview ... sources connected with Magic tell TMZ.

Our sources -- who know exactly what went down -- tell us ... Donald called Magic the Monday after TMZ Sports posted the audio and said he wanted Magic to sit with him for the Walters interview as a show of support. We're told Magic scoffed at Donald and ended the call.

As for Sterling's claim Magic somehow knew Stiviano and this may all have been a plot, our sources say that's a flat out lie ... Magic did NOT know Stiviano from Adam. We're told Magic in NO WAY was scheming to buy the Clippers.

Donald Sterling says Magic Johnson is a bad example for the children of L.A. because of what he did to "get A.I.D.S." back in the '90s ... and says he should be ashamed of himself.

Sterling made the comments to Anderson Cooper during his big CNN interview ... saying "To do what [Magic] did and then get A.I.D.S. ... I mean, come on."

For the record, Magic does not have A.I.D.S. -- but was diagnosed H.I.V. positive back in 1991.

Sterling continued his attack on Magic -- saying, "Big Magic Johnson ... what has he done? He's got A.I.D.S."

"What kind of a guy goes to every city and has sex with every girl? Then he catches H.I.V. ... is that someone we wanna respect and tell our kids about? I think he should be ashamed of himself. I think he should go into the background."

Sterling also said he believes Magic tricked him into staying quiet in the days after TMZ Sports published the original audio recording as part of a diabolical plot to take over the Clippers.

Sterling also just called Anderson Cooper a RACIST -- saying, "I think you have more of a plantation mentality than I do ... and I think you're more of a racist than I am."

Sterling didn't explain why he believes Cooper is a racist.

Sterling seems to be in denial about how the players feel about him -- saying they still "love me." He says the media hates him.

V. Stiviano rolled into Beverly Hills Monday afternoon right before rolling the Ferrari Donald Sterling gave her into another car ... TMZ has learned.

Stiviano was driving her red whip behind a black Range Rover when we're told she failed to stop and caused a rear ender. The other driver tells TMZ ... she was wearing her visor at the time of the crash.

We're told V. went insane ... jumping out of the Ferrari and "screaming every obscenity in the book," including, "You know who you're messing with, mother f*****?"

Stiviano told the other driver she had to return the Ferrari ... though she was not specific. As you know by now, the car is one of several vehicles she got courtesy of Donald Sterling.

We're told Stiviano wouldn't ante up her insurance info and had "an assistant" deal with it.

It's pretty incredible ... Donald Sterling goes on the attack against Magic Johnson during his interview with Anderson Cooper.

As you know, a photo of Magic with V. Stiviano that she posted on Instagram was the catalyst for the now-famous recording first posted on TMZ Sports.

Sterling told Cooper he's spoken with Magic twice since the recording became public, and then gratuitously added that Magic has not done enough to help minorities.

But then he went on ... saying Magic was not a good example for the children of L.A.

The interview airs tonight on CNN at 8P.

Donald Sterling has been REJECTED by at least 8 big law firms in his quest to sue the NBA ... we're told because they think he's toxic and would piss off their existing clients.

Multiple sources in the legal world tell TMZ ... Sterling has reached out to a number of extremely large, prestigious firms, both in L.A. and San Francisco, looking for representation ... but none were receptive.

Our sources say partners in the firms feel representing Sterling would alienate both their African American clients and corporate clients that are hyper-sensitive to controversy.

One source closely connected with Sterling tells TMZ ... it's especially galling for the Clippers owner, because a number of partners in these firms have called him from time to time asking for favors, including tickets to games.

Just because it was Mother's Day, that doesn't mean Justin Bieber's mom got ALL his attention at Sunday's Los Angeles Clippers game -- he still found time to catch a glimpse of the hottie a few seats over.

Bieber snuck a peak while his mom was turned around, but you have to wonder if Biebs noticed the GIANT rock she was sporting on her ring finger.

Baby, baby, baby ... OH!!!

Turns out the woman in the photo is Scooter Braun's fiancée -- and Scooter is sitting on the other side of her. So ... definitely not cool, Justin. Not cool.

Barbara Walters may have gotten the mistress and the wife, but Anderson Cooper got the grand prize Sunday ... a sit down with Donald Sterling ... TMZ has learned.

Cooper flew in to Los Angeles this morning, checked into his hotel, and made a bee-line to Sterling's Beverly Hills house, where the interview went down.

Before the interview, Sterling met with his lawyer, who was not present during the interview with Cooper. The interview will air Monday night on "Anderson Cooper 360."

TMZ shot video of Anderson leaving the house after the interview, but he was mum.

Our sources say Sterling has been champing at the bit to publicly defend himself against racism allegations after TMZ Sports posted the now famous recording.

Shelly Sterling says she will file for divorce from Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling "eventually" ... telling Barbara Walters she has signed papers before ... just never filed them.

In an interview scheduled to air later on Sunday, Sterling says she has not followed through with the divorce yet on the advice of her financial advisors.

Like a good son should, Justin Bieber is spending his Mother's Day with his mom ... hangin' out courtside at the Clippers vs. Thunder playoff game in L.A. ... and TMZ Sports has the pic.

Sources at the game tell us ... Bieber and his mom Pattie Mallette seem like they've been having a good time -- and spent some time chattin' with other huge stars including Mark Wahlberg and Floyd Mayweather.

Bieber even wore a shirt to the game ... though, he left his sleeves at home.